Daniel Craig signs up for Bond 25 as Christopher Nolan admits to talks with producers

Daniel Craig signs up for Bond 25 as Christopher Nolan admits to talks with producers

While Daniel Craig still has one Bond film left of his five-movie contract, the question of whether he will return to the role ever since the actor voiced his disdain for playing 007 during a wearying run of press junkets around the release of Spectre in 2015.

But the latest is that Craig will return, according to The Mirror. Reportedly, the actor, who famously said he would "rather slash [his] wrists" than return to the role has agreed to don the spy suit once more, after hearing about the galaxy of stars who were ready to replace him.

Bookies suspended betting on Taboo star Tom Hardy being the next BondCREDIT: ROBERT VIGLASKY

Craig has been at the centre of the franchise's most lucrative films to date: Skyfall grossed $1.1 billion at the international box office, making it the highest-ever grossing film for Sony Pictures and the second highest-earning of 2012. Spectre, the 2015 follow-up, is the fourth biggest earner in the franchise's 53-year-history after Thunderball (1965) and Goldfinger (1964) with inflation.

The Mirror also reports that producer Barbara Broccoli is attempting to secure Adele, who won the franchise its first Oscar with her theme for Skyfall, to return for the 25th film. Broccoli is said to be "talking the singer round".

But the Broccolis are also looking for new talent to bring a new twist to the formula. Academy Award-nominated director Christopher Nolanhas said that he's been speaking to producers, but would want to wait until the franchise "needed" him before stepping into Skyfall and Spectre director's Sam Mendes' shoes.

Nolan told Playboy:

I've spoken to the producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson over the years. I deeply love the character, and I'm always excited to see what they do with it. Maybe one day that would work out. You'd have to be needed, if you know what I mean. It has to need reinvention; it has to need you. And they're getting along very well.

Reports suggest that Bond 25 will start filming next year, with a potential release at the end of 2018.